Journal of Vector Borne Diseases (Sep 2012)
Genetic analysis of clinical isolates of Leishmania major from Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
Background & objectives: Leishmaniasis is a geographically widespread severe disease which includes visceralleishmaniasis (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). There are 350 million people at risk in over 80 countries.In the Old World, CL is usually caused by Leishmania major, L. tropica, and L. aetiopica complex of which 90%of cases occur in Afghanistan, Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Brazil and Peru. Recently, Eslami et al(2011) reported a novel TRYP6 gene encoding tryparedoxin peroxidase from an Iranian L. major strain exhibitinghomology with the related gene in a divergent genus of Kinetoplastida, the Crithidia. This prompted us toanalyze the mentioned gene in 100 isolates obtained from patients with suspected CL. Consequently, we analyzedinternal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region, RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPOIILS) and the mitochondrialDNA polymerase beta (DPOLB).Methods: After obtaining samples from 100 patients, DNA extraction was performed and TRYP6 was analyzedusing conventional PCR. All samples harbouring TRYP6 with smaller size (555 bp) were analysed based onthree other regions: ITS1, RPOIILS and DPOLB genes.Results: Results showed that 10% of the isolates have the same character as observed in our previous study. TheITS1-RFLP-PCR of this 10% isolates showed their similarity to the one from Crithidia fasciculata. RNApolymerase II largest subunit (RPOIILS) showed genetic diversity but the mitochondrial DNA polymerase beta(DPOLB) did not show any genetic diversity.Conclusion: This study might also help in solving the problems concerning Leishmaniasis outbreaks currentlyreported in Iran and some other endemic regions of the world.
